With beautiful rich voices, talented acting and enjoyable choreography, San Diego Musical Theatre’s version of “The Sound of Music” should be a must-see for fans of the movie.

Maria (Allison Spratt Pearce) teaches the von Trapp children how to sing during “Do-Re-Mi” in San Diego Musical Theatre’s “The Sound of Music.” Photos by Ken Jacques

The stage version is playing at the Birch North Park Theatre through May 26.

It is clear from the opening scene that director and choreographer Todd Nielsen put together a quality production that has the best of all elements, including a versatile set designed by JR Bruce that includes the abbey, Austrian mountains and the von Trapp home.

Of course, the setting would be nothing if the 27 cast members and 25 musicians were not up to the challenge of taking on such a well-known musical.

The nuns’ beautiful singing as the show opens is just the first of many enjoyable numbers they perform. Among standouts are the operatic Debra Wanger as Sister Margaretta and vocally powerful Victoria Strong as The Mother Abbess who closes the first act with a wonderful rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”

As for the leads — Broadway veteran Allison Spratt Pearce as postulant turned governess Maria Rainer and Randall Dodge as the rigid Captain Georg von Trapp — they are perfectly suited to their roles. Pearce is delightful as the optimistic Maria who refuses to follow protocol when caring for the seven von Trapp children. Dodge portrays the right mix of sternness that softens to compassion and love as Maria breaks down the emotional barriers he erected following his wife’s death years earlier. Both have beautiful singing voices and live their parts.

Maria (Allison Spratt Pearce) and Captain von Trapp (Randall Dodge).

The seven youngsters cast as the mischievous von Trapp children are endearing, especially 6-year-old Gabriella Dimmick in her musical theater debut as Gretl von Trapp. Also deserving mention is Kelly Prendergast in her second turn as Liesl von Trapp. Prendergast, along with Kevin McDonald as love interest Rolf Gruber, did a good job singing and dancing “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” Like the teens’ duet, another cutely choreographed number is “Do-Re-Mi,” during which Maria teaches the children how to sing.

For those unfamiliar with the musical, Maria is studying to become a nun but her high-spirited ways make conforming to the expectations of religious life in 1938 Austria near impossible. The Mother Abbess, wanting the naïve Maria to experience secular life prior to making her final vows, sends her to be the von Trapp children’s governess for several months. Due to the children’s pranks, governesses keep quitting, so the retired navy captain turns to the abbey for assistance. All this happens on the eve of Nazi Germany taking over Austria during the start to World War II, a turn of political events the captain opposes. As war looms, he must make a dangerous decision that will have permanent repercussions for his family.

The stage version has a few variations from the movie, namely the addition of songs “How Can Love Survive?” in Act I and “No Way to Stop It” in Act II, both sung by the captain, his love interest Elsa Schraeder (Jill Van Velzer) and their friend Max Detweiler (David McBean).

“The Sound of Music” — appropriate for the entire family — can be seen at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2 p.m. on Sundays through May 26 at Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Avenue in San Diego.

Tickets are $26 to $56, with discounts offered to seniors 65-plus, youths 16 and under plus groups. Purchase at www.sdmt.org or call 858-560-5740.

Brian Maienschein: Attributes a good percentage of his success to his time at Poway High

By Emily Sorensen

Though he’s currently known as assemblyman for the 77th District, Brian Maienschein’s newest title is as one of four new inductees into the Poway High School Hall of Fame.

Brian Maienschein

“I was very honored,” said Maienschein of finding out he was going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. “It’s a great honor. I grew up here. I went to Chaparral, Twin Peaks and Poway High. I have deep roots in the community, and to receive an honor from [the community] is wonderful.”

Maienschein moved to Poway with his family when he was 7 years old, and graduated from Poway High School in 1987. “I enjoyed my time at Poway High School,” said Maienschein. “I met people there that I’m still friends with to this day. It was a great high school. There were a lot of nice kids, and the football games and dances were well-attended.”

Maienschein also got his start in politics at Poway High School, serving as student council president his junior and senior years of high school. “That was fun,” Maienschein said. In addition to his student politics, Maienschein was active in many school activities, and said that while he had many friends at the school, he didn’t hang out with a specific group of kids. “I was a floater,” said Maienschein.

A good percentage of his success in his career can be attributed to his time at Poway High School, Maienschein said. “I had good teachers and good friends. I really enjoyed my time there.”

After high school, Maienschein attended UC Santa Barbara, where he earned a B.A. in communications, then went on to study law at California Western Law School. After practicing law for a few years, Maienschein decided to make a change.

He was elected to San Diego City Council in 2000 and again in 2004. During his time on City Council, he led recovery efforts after the 2003 Cedar fire and the 2007 Witch Creek fire. The disaster recovery plan he created is now viewed as a national model for disaster response.

In 2008, when his second term ended, he became the San Diego County Commissioner of Homelessness. He created “Project 25,” which aimed to reduce homelessness, save taxpayer money and help veterans in San Diego. “In the first year, we ended homelessness for 35 people, and saved $7 million in taxpayer money,” said Maienschein. The program received a Golden Watchdog Award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association for its success.

In November 2012, Maienschein was elected as assemblyman for the 77th District. “I never thought I would represent my community and my high school in state Assembly,” said Maienschein.

The Hall of Fame awards ceremony, dinner and raffle will be 5 – 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 31 at the Bernardo Winery, 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte. Tickets for the event are $35 per person, and are available at www.PowayHighFoundation.org.

Jeannie Hume: Career blossomed due to Poway High teacher

By Emily Sorensen

If she hadn’t been looking for an “easy A” her senior year, Poway High School Hall of Fame inductee Jeannie Hume might never have found her passion in life.

Jeannie Hume

Hume’s participation in FFA and in a floriculture class her senior year of high school led her to a lifelong love of flowers and plants, culminating in her opening Crystal Gardens Florist in Poway in 1984. The store is still open today, serving the community with everything from corsages to bouquets.

Hume grew up in Poway, and recalled how different the high school was back then, compared to now. Thanks to only having one middle school at the time, Meadowbrook, Hume said she knew everyone in her freshman year of high school. “You really already knew all the kids,” said Hume. “The only new kids were the new kids on the block.”

Hume described her time at Poway High School as “great.” “Comraderie was stronger then,” said Hume. “We had dances after every home football game. Everyone would go and dance for a couple of hours in their jeans and [tennis shoes], because there was nothing else to do in town.”

It was her senior year at Poway High School that led her to discover what she’d be doing the rest of her life. That year, Poway High’s FFA first started, and Hume and a friend were also searching for an “easy A” class to take to fill up their senior year schedules. A floriculture class, taught by Dan Lassanske, caught their attention. “We chose it because we thought flowers would be fun.”

Hume found the flowers more than fun, she found a passion in them. After graduating from PHS, Jeannie attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and earned a degree in ornamental horticulture. In 1984 she opened Crystal Gardens Florist in Poway. “[Dan Lassanske] is the teacher who has most influenced me in my life,” said Hume. “It’s all because of him that I am where I am today.”

Hume has given back to her community more with more than flowers, however. She has been a member of the Poway Soroptimists for nearly 30 years, serving as president in 1999, as well as a member of the Poway Chamber of Commerce.

She has dedicated herself to helping battered women and children through the Soroptimists. “It’s my biggest volunteer commitment,” said Hume. Hume’s work with the Soroptimists involves finding transitional housing for battered women and children, who are fleeing abusive relationships.

The families, who are processed and directed to the Poway Soroptimists through a crisis center in El Cajon, are given a house or apartment to live in, fully furnished, while they work to find a job and get back on their feet, free from abuse. Each family has 18 months in the program. “There’s never a shortage of families,” said Hume. “It makes you feel good, helping someone right here [in Poway]. What goes around comes around. It’s the right thing to do, to help someone.”

The Hall of Fame awards ceremony, dinner and raffle will be 5 – 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 31 at the Bernardo Winery, 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte. Tickets for the event are $35 per person, and are available at www.PowayHighFoundation.org.

The Poway High boys golf team, fresh off capturing its first Palomar League title since 1999, will now try to win a CIF San Diego Section title for the first time since 2001.

Poway High's Max Alcorn. File photo

The Titans earned the No. 2 seed in the championships, which begin Tuesday with the opening round of the two-round tournament at Admiral Baker Golf Course. The final round will start at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The top 12 individual scores and the top two teams scores will advance to the SoCal Southern Regional Championships, which will be played on May 30 at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena.

“Based on our differentials and our No. 2 seeding, I like our chances,” Poway coach Dave Thompson said. “But Torrey Pines and Rancho Bernardo are going to be tough.”

The Falcons are the No. 1 seed and the Broncos are the No. 3 seed. Rancho Bernardo was the only team in the Palomar League to get a win against the Titans.

Poway is led by University of San Francisco-bound senior Max Alcorn. As a junior, he fell just short of reaching the SoCal Regional Championships. Freshman Mason Schulze, sophomore Drew Oslance and junior Ellis Messian have also had strong seasons for the Titans.

Meanwhile, the Broncos will turn to their two returning SoCal Regional qualifiers, Brandon Mai and Franklin Huang, and freshman sensation Tai Negishi to lead them. Huang is a two-time qualifier to SoCal Regional, while Mai just missed reaching the state tournament last season.

“I think we have three number ones on our team with Tai, Brandon and Franklin,” Broncos coach Rich Deem said. “If we can get our No. 4 and No. 5 guys to show, then we should come out pretty good.”

The Broncos let a lead get away in the North County Tournament and ended up losing to Torrey Pines. They will try to avoid that situation in the section championships.

“We can’t have a repeat performance of that,” Deem said.

Del Norte, which went 8-2 in the Valley League and won the league tournament, just missed out on a spot in the section championships as a team, but will have four individuals playing.

Nick Angelini, Matt Madrid, Chris Wang and Sam Haber will be out there to represent the Nighthawks.

“I think all four of them have a great shot (to finish in the top 12), if they play well,” Del Norte coach Mike Reifeiss said.

Rancho Bernardo High's Liam Semple, left, captured two section titles at Saturday's championships. Photo by Sherri Cortez

Semple claimed the section crown in the boys 200-yard freestyle and 500 freestyle events. He finished the 200 in 1-minute, 39.01-seconds — .52 faster than the second-place finisher – and won the 500 in 4:29.80.

Cable captured the girls 100 butterfly Division I title in 56.29 – just .12 seconds faster than the second-place finisher. She also had a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (25.05).

The Broncos’ Tanner Williams finished second in the boys 100 butterfly (52.13).

GIRLS DIVING

Broncos’ freshman Carly Doi captured the section diving crown in record-breaking fashion. She scored 269.05 on Friday to break the old record of 262.15 set last year by Escondido Charter’s Taylor Pamplin.

The season started with Del Norte High girls lacrosse coach Kimberly Pytel writing into the CIF San Diego Section requesting a move up from Division II.

The Del Norte High girls lacrosse team captured the CIF San Diego Section Division II crown Saturday at Coronado High School. Courtesy photo

It was not granted so the Nighthawks proceeded to do what their coach knew they were capable of doing … capture the crown.

Makenna Dybczak scored with just over seven minutes left to break a 7-7 tie and No. 1 Del Norte chewed up the rest of the clock to beat No. 2 Valley Center 8-7 Saturday afternoon in the Division II section championship game at Coronado High School.

It is the first Division II title handed out by the section since it went to divisions based on competitiveness rather than enrollment. Pytel felt her squad should have started the year in a higher division, but she was just as happy watching her team prove her point on the field.

“We seized the opportunity we were given,” said Pytel, who also was celebrating her birthday Saturday. “I am happy that we came out of this with a CIF title. I hope this will get us to a higher division next year.”

The Nighthawks, only in their third year with a varsity squad, have come a long way in that time. Del Norte won just five games in 2011 and seven in 2012. And there they were Saturday, rushing to goalkeeper Megan Drew, one of seven seniors on the team, to celebrate capturing a Division II crown with their 14^th win of the year.

Del Norte High celebrates its Division II title. Courtesy photo

“The seniors have been the leaders of this program for the last three years,” Pytel said. “The fact that we have only existed at the varsity level for three years and to win the title is so fantastic. Then it being my birthday is just the icing on the cake.”

The Nighthawks and Jaguars split two games earlier in the season, both by a score of 8-7. Del Norte was on the wrong end of the last one in the regular season and it cost them a share of the league title, but they came out on the right end of the one that mattered most on Saturday.

“We worked so hard the entire year to win CIF and the last time we played Valley Center they beat us so this was kind of a revenge game for us,” said Emilie Boone, whose four first-half goals helped the Nighthawks take a 7-3 lead at halftime. “We went out there and played hard and gave it 100-percent.”

Katerina Rudy had two goals – both in the first half – and an assist, while Kelly Watson scored once and Drew made 11 saves in the net. Makenna Grewe and Sophie Heston each registered an assist for the Nighthawks. Del Norte trailed 3-1 through the first 14 minutes of the game before Rudy and Boone took over.

Watson started the rally with a goal with 8:10 to go before the half. Boone would find the back of the net twice over the next two minutes to give the Nighthawks (14-11) a 4-3 lead. Rudy added her second goal of the half before Boone scored twice more and just like that Del Norte had a four-goal lead.

“Emilie was on fire today,” Pytel said. “I am so proud of her for stepping up into that leadership role after Maddie (Johnstone) went down with an injury.”

The Jaguars didn’t go away, though. They rallied to score four straight goals to open the second half, including Nina Montejano’s with 9:25 to go to tie the game at 7-7. But just over two minutes later, Dybczak raced to the net and scored what proved to be the game winner for the Nighthawks.

“I wasn’t expecting that to happen,” Dybczak said. “This whole year we have been trying to win CIF and to score the game winning goal feels great. But it was a team effort and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”

“I am so proud of my team,” Pytel said. “They worked so hard to get here. I cannot even describe the feeling I have right now. I am just so proud.”

The Broncos (26-4) were tabbed the top seed at Saturday’s pairing meeting and will host No. 8 Rancho Buena Vista Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in the opening round of the double-elimination tournament.

The Longhorns are one of just four teams to beat Rancho Bernardo this season. They beat the Broncos 9-2 back on March 15. The other half of the Upper Bracket features No. 5 Poway at No. 4 Vista, also on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. The winner of both of those games will play Friday at 3:30 p.m.

The Lower Bracket features No. 2 Granite Hills, which will host No. 7 Torrey Pines on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play the winner of No. 6 Helix at No. 3 La Costa Canyon, which will also be Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

Del Norte earned the No. 2 seed in Division III and has a first-round bye. The Nighthawks will host the winner of Tuesday’s play-in game between No. 10 Canyon Crest Academy and No. 7 Santa Fe Christian on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. The No. 1 seed in Division III is San Dieguito Academy.

Maranatha Christian is the No. 5 seed in Division V and will travel to face No. 4 Calvin Christian in the first round on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. The top seed in Division V is Foothills Christian.

For a complete look at all the brackets, click here.

Four Poway seniors are among the six finalists in RB Chorale’s annual scholarship competition.

Chase Cullen

The students will compete for a combined $13,000 in scholarships during RB Chorale’s 39th annual spring concert, “Our Journey in Song.” Performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 in the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road.

Three finalists will perform each night and during intermission the audience will vote on who should receive first, second and third place. The finalists were selected among 17 applicants who plan to continue their music education in college.

Those performing in the May 24 concert will be vocalist Chase Cullen of Poway High, pianist Rachel Danielson of Poway High and vocalist Alexis Young of Escondido Charter School.

Cullen has been singing and dancing since childhood, is a member of the Poway High Barbershop Quartet and for the past two years was selected for the Southern California Honor Choir. His plans are to attend Palomar College for two years and then transfer to a four-year college.

Rachel Danielson

Danielson has played the piano for 13 years and teaches beginning piano. Her other musical endeavors include orchestra, marching band and playing the violin. Her plans are to attend Chapman University’s Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music.

Young, a lyric soprano, has been taking private voice lessons for more than four years and is also an actress. Her plans are to earn a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater at Oklahoma City University.

Performing in the May 25 concert will be vocalist Chase Fischer of Coronado School of Arts, violinist Annelle Gregory of Greater San Diego Charter Home School and vocalist Emily Kerrigan of Poway High.

Fischer, a Poway resident, has been in 31 theatrical productions since age 5 and is a member of his church youth choir. His plans are to earn a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater at Montclair State University.

Chase Fischer

Gregory has won numerous state and national competitions and performed at Carnegie Hall as a member of Sphinx Virtuosi. She plans to major in violin performance at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, with the goal of becoming a concert violinist.

Kerrigan, who sings classical music, has been in the Southern California Honor Choir for three years and attended the National Opera Institute for Young Singers last year. Her plans are to major in vocal performance at the University of California Los Angeles.

In addition to the scholarship finalists, the RB Chorale will perform many selections including songs from “The Sound of Music,” “Disco Survives” and “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Tickets are $30 for preferred seating; $20 for general admission; $18 for seniors, students and military; and $5 for infants through age 12. Proceeds will go to the scholarship fund. Purchase from the group by going to www.rbchorale.org or calling 858-485-7664, or from PCPA by

Emily Kerrigan

going to www.powaycenter.com. Chorale members are also selling tickets.

The Rancho Bernardo High softball team is headed back to the CIF San Diego Section Division II semifinals.

Sara White tossed a complete game shutout and smacked an RBI single in the fifth inning, as the No. 1 Broncos defeated No. 5 Steele Canyon 2-0 in Saturday morning’s quarterfinal game at Rancho Bernardo High School.

The Broncos will face defending Division II champion and top seed Bonita Vista in the semifinals at the Poway Sportsplex with the winner advancing to the championship game of the double-elimination tournament.

“We are really excited and pumped up to keep going,” White said. “We are doing a great job of not getting ahead of ourselves and not settling with what we have done so far.”

The Broncos are full of motivation, as basically the entire roster is back from last year’s squad, which fell to Bonita Vista in the Division II title game.

“I think that motivates them a whole lot,” Rancho Bernardo coach Summer Boyle said. “Obviously, to come so close and lose you want to get back. And we have a lot of returners that know that feeling of losing.”

The Broncos put a runner on second in each of the first four innings, but were unable to get a timely hit so the game remained scoreless. Rancho Bernardo finally broke through in the fifth, when White ripped a shot off reliever Rachel Beasley with the bases loaded and one out. The ball bounced far enough away to allow a run to score and everybody was safe.

“I knew the pitcher before her was throwing a lot of balls so I knew she was going to try to get ahead,” White said of the at bat. “I was looking for a pitch down the middle of the plate and that was exactly what I got.”

A bases-loaded walk to Danielle Knoetze made it 2-0 and that was all White would need on this day. The Notre Dame-bound junior was on her game, striking out three and walking only one.

“She was lights out,” Rancho Bernardo coach Summer Boyle said. “She threw really well and this was a huge win. To stay in the winners’ bracket was our first goal.”

The No. 4 Titans led 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning before the Lancers rallied to tie the game and force extra innings. The Titans made several errors throughout the game, allowing the Lancers to stay within striking distance.

Poway drops to the elimination bracket and will play Calexico on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Carlsbad advances to Thursday’s semifinals, where it will face No. 3 Torrey Pines.

The senior right-hander tossed a no-hitter in the Nighthawks’ 10-0 victory over Mission Bay in an elimination game in the CIF San Diego Section Division III playoffs.

The game was shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule. The No. 3 Nighthawks will play Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. with a chance at reaching the semifinals at the Poway Sportsplex on Thursday.